Tone improving means for accordions



Jan. 8, 1952 M. H. FAKMAN ETAL 2,

TONE IMPROVING MEANS FOR ACCORDIONS Filed Aug. 22, 1949 Marvin H. Pakman Ange/o J. Del/aim JNVENTORS Patented Jan. 8, 1952 TONE DVIPROVING MEANS FOR ACCORDIONS Marvin H. Pakman, Trenton, N. J and Angelo J. Dellaira, Astoria, N. Y.

Application August 22, 1949, Serial No. 111,654

4 Claims. (Cl. 84376) The present invention relates to ways and means for intercepting and conditioning tone waves in an enclosed space, said tone waves entering said space from an allied source of vibration, and concurrently acting upon the tone waves to transform same into the desired character and quality before said tone waves are discharged from the space into a room or the like.

More specifically speaking, and with reference to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it has to do with resonating and amplifying facilities for tone waves expressly adapted for use in the tone producing space of a piano-accordion so that the final output of the tone waves singly and collectively is more refined, full, clear and entrancing than would otherwise be the case.

Briefly summarized, the preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized by a sound board which is opposed to the interior side of the apertured panel or front of the accordion housing, the side which is close to the piano keyboard. This sound board, in conjunction with the panel, provides a pocket and in the pocket we provide a plurality of resonating tubes which act on the outgoing tone waves to greatly improve the factors of quality and amplitude with the result that a more beautiful and musical tone is at all times had.

It is also an objective to attain wanted ends through the instrumentality of a simple and economical adaptation of structural parts in which manufacturers and users will find their needs and requirements fully met, contained and available.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

"Figure l is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, showing a fragmentary portion of a conventional type piano-accordion with my improved tone modulating and qualifying 'means embodied therein.

Figure 2 is a front view, that is, a view observing Figure 1 in a direction from right to left with portions broken away to bring out the structural details.

Figure 3 is a group perspective view of two of the resonating and amplifying tubes which are used.

Figure 4 is a view like Figure 1 showing a reversal of the same structural details which we employ in lieu of that shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings by reference numerals and accompanying lead lines, the numeral t designates a piano keyboard which is situated at an angle to the front wall or panel 7 of the casing structure 8. The numeral 9 designates the bellows and lil designates the tone wave trapping space or chamber in which the waves are, by our invention, altered and improved. The tone waves, of course, come from the usual source of vibration which would be the reeds (not shown). The thus key-controlled waves pass from the chamber or space It outwardly through discharge openings provided therefor in the panel I, said discharge openings being here denoted by the numerals H.

Our idea is to affect the tone waves just before they discharge through the apertures ll. To accomplish this, we show, in Figure 1, a substantially rectangular internal panel which provides a sound board l2. This is preferably of an area substantially equal to the area of the front panel 1. One edge portion preferably converges toward the panel as at E3 to define a V-shaped pocket M. It is in this pocket that we assemble, secure our resonating and tone wave amplifying tubes. Although placing a single tube in the V-pocket l4 would, of course, intercept and alter and improve the outgoing tone waves, we prefer to use two or more such tubes. These, like the sound board, will be of appropriate material found advantageous in the construction of musical instrument parts. The tubes are somewhat similar and preferably of corresponding lengths and one is denoted by the numeral i5, this being the top one in Figure 1, and the other by the numeral l6 which is the bottom tube. The tubes may be secured together and may be closed as at H and [8 at their opposite ends. In other instances, the ends may be open to facilitate the circulation of the tone waves. The diameters of the tubes may vary as shown in the drawings. The tube 15 has slots or apertures [9 which may be said to be intake slots and discharge slots 20 directly opposite or in any other position. These discharge slots register with intake slots 2| in the tube [6 which, in turn, communicate with the final discharge slots 22 in the tube it.

We shall not attempt to dwell upon the laws of physics of the production of better quality musical sounds by use Of resonating tubes, since the tubes and horns are known to amplify and transmit sound waves, for example, resonating tubes on marimbas and others. In fact, there are piano-accordions which have devices for interrupting the tone Waves between the source of vibration and the source of discharge in order to alter same. We believe, however, that the use of the imperforate sound board opposed to the front apertured panel and the disposition of resonating tubes in the stated space or pocket will serve to achieve a tone output in which the amlitude is greater than that had in an instrument without such facilities. And too, it is assured that th tone thus put out Will be full, clear, musical, undistorted and otherwise likely to appeal to the tastes of those musically and artistically inclined, particularly the user of our improved instrument.

The arrangement of structural details is merely inverted in the depiction shown in Figure 4. Since, however, the elements are identical in structural character we are using the same reference numerals to identify them. We do not desire to give the impression that there is an alteration or modification here but merely a change in the position of the same parts which are seen in the arrangement shown in Figure 1.

We may add that the exact position of the inlet and outlet slots in the tubes will, of course, be varied from time to time, that the cross-sectional shapes of the tubes will be varied from circular to any other cross-section. The sound board may be imperforate or provided with one or more openings. We consider that it is even within the purview of the invention to employ more than one sound board.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual prac tice, if desired.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

4 and converging at one end toward the panel and defining a V-shapedpocket, and a plurality of resonating tubes mounted in said pocket.

2. In a piano accordion, a casing embodying a source of sound Wave production and a tone wave trapping chamber having an apertured grille, a plurality of resonating tubes mounted on the interior of said chamber and close to the stated grille, and a sound board, said sound board bein opposed to said grille and providing a pocket and said tubes being arranged in side-to-side contacting parallelism and situated in said pocket.

3. A structure specified in claim 2, said tubes being closed at their opposite ends and attached to one another and having communicative slots.

4. In a piano accordion construction, a casin embodying a source of tone production, a trapping chamber for collecting and amplifying the tone waves from said source of production, said chamber embodying an apertured panel, a sound board within the confines of said chamber and 1. In a piano accordion, a casing embodying a opposed in relationship to the interior surface of said panel and having one edge portion contacting an adjacent edge portion of the panel and the other end portion diverging from said panel and defining a V-shaped pocket between the sounding board and panel, said pocket being open at its wide end, a pair of side-by-side resonating tubes having communicating intake and exhaust slots, said tubes being closed at opposite ends and being of lengths commensurate with the length of said pocket and being fitted into the mouth of said pocket in a manner to intercept tone waves from said source and chamber and to act on same as said tone waves discharge via said tubes and pocket through the apertures in said panel.

MARVIN H. PAKMAN.

ANGELO J. DELLAIRA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 'file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,999,919 Truesdell Apr. 30, 1935 2,189,531 Del Principe Feb. 6, 1940 2,193,398 Fisher Mar. 12, 1940 

